MBB Host Northern Colorado Saturday Night - University of Colorado Athletics

COMPLETE NOTES located at the bottom

FOR STARTERS: Tonight’s game will be the first of two in the next three days for the Buffaloes. Northern Colorado visits Boulder for the first time since Jan. 10, 2004 when CU defeated the Bears, 78-48. Believe it or not, UNC leads the all-time series with CU, 18-17 dating back to 1918. From 1918 thru 1937, the Bears won 18 of 30 games, while the Buffs have won the last two in recent memory dating back to 1978 and 2004. The Buffs are 10-8 at home vs. the Bears.

HOLIDAY STAY: No more frequent flyer miles for the CU MBB team for the next seven games and/or five weeks. CU will not leave the state of Colorado until Jan. 9’s travel day to Norman, Okla. (Jan. 10 at Oklahoma, FSN RM). Prior to visiting OU, the Buffaloes open the Big 12 Conference season against Texas on Jan. 6.

LAST TIME OUT: Junior guard Daniel Fountain poured in a career-high 21 points and UNC Wilmington held Colorado to 18 points in the second half for a 67-55 come-from-behind victory over the Buffaloes in the home opener for the Seahawks. Fountain paced three players in double digits for the Seahawks, who shot 44.8 percent to just 37.3 percent for the Buffaloes. With guard Richard Roby sidelined most of the second half with cramps, CU managed just 26.1 percent from the floor after the break. Roby paced the Buffaloes with 16 points, all in the first half. Jeremy Williams was the only other CU player in double figures with 14 markers.

DA BEARS: Northern Colorado (Big Sky Conference) enters tonight’s game with a 1-6 record having defeated Colorado Christian, 89-68 back on Nov. 21. The Bears have lost on the road to Ball State (81-42), Purdue (90-58), Denver (74-68) and Arizona State (66-51). Home game losses are to UC-Colorado Springs (96-91) and a two-point loss to Oregon State (69-67). Head Coach Tad Boyle enters his first year with UNC.

HOOK SHOTS: Not counting his 3-point shooting, Richard Roby is 24-for-63 (.381) in two-point attempts; last year at this time, he was 20-for-46 (.435) for two-pointers ... Jermyl Jackson-Wilson is fifth in conference rebounding (8.5 rpg.), remains first in offensive boards (4.0) and is tied for eighth in defensive (4.5) ... Roby is tied for seventh in steals (2.0 spg.) and 11th in scoring (15.3 ppg.) ... Roby needs three points to move into 21st place on CU’s all-time scoring list (1082 pts., 16.4 ppg.) ... Jeremy Williams started his second game of the season at UNCW scoring 14 points (4-for-4 FG) and 6-for-7 from the free throw line; he started at Utah ... TEAM: CU slipped to 2-4 for the first time since the 1988-89 season ... In second half scoring, CU is averaging 33.3 ppg.; Individually, Roby leads the team in scoring in the second half (8.2 ppg.) ... Of the 19 team categories administrated by the Big 12 Conference, CU is last in 11 categories and 10th or 11th in four ... CU’s .395 FG percentage, .232 3-PT% and .569 FT% are the lowest in coach Patton’s 11-years ... CU has been out-rebounded in their last five games (5.4).

CU vs. PEPPERDINE: On Monday, CU hosts the Pepperdine Waves (1-5) at the Events Center at 7 p.m. CU and Pepperdine (West Coast Conference) are tied at three in the head-to-head series dating back 1944. The Buffs hold a 3-1 advantage in Boulder and have played twice in recent memory (1999: NIT: CU, 65-61) and 2003: at Pepperdine, L, 94-77).

CU vs. the COLONIAL: After falling on the road to UNC Wilmington, the Buffaloes are now 3-4 against the Colonial Athletic Association, while coach Patton teams are 2-4 overall and 0-3 on the road.

CU vs. the Mountain West: Since CU is playing six of the nine Mountain West Conference schools this year (1-3 so far), overall, CU has enjoyed much success against them in its history (109-53, .672). The Buffs are only 11-10 (.524) since 1996-97 and since the 2002-03 season, the Buffs are 6-5 (.546) against the conference.

MWC WRAP: For the last two weeks it seemed CU joined another conference, the Mountain West. After four straight games with the MWC, CU produced a 1-3 record. The Buffaloes still have Colorado State (Dec. 9) and TCU (Dec. 30) to play.

SURPRISE LINEUP ADDITION: Chase Perkowski came off the bench in the early stages of the first half at UNCW. The sophomore from San Juan Capistrano, Calif. took a charge in four minutes at running the point. Aside from on again, off again scholarship and former student-athlete Scott Senger (May 2006 graduate), Perkowski is the first walk on to play quality minutes in the last six years when the game hasn’t been decided.

NO OFFENSE (2nd Half): Depending on which four minute span you are looking at, the Buffs are struggling to score points in the second half (Opponent: 43.8, CU: 33.3). On the average, they are being outscored in all four minute breakdowns. During the four-to-eight minute mark, UNC Wilmington used a 12-0 run during this span to finally take the lead; and during the 8-12 minute mark, Wyoming (10-7 run), Utah (13-7) and Air Force (21-0) all have put themselves back in the game with runs of their own. Individually, Richard Roby leads the team in scoring in the second half (8.2 ppg..). For more media timeout breakdowns (10 mini-games), please turn to page 4.

TURNOVERS from a year ago: If you think the Buffaloes are turning the ball over due to their youth, you might be right or is it really making a difference? After six games last year, CU averaged 13.5 a game (81 total). This year the average is 16.3 (98).

SHOOTING from the field: Compared to last year after six games to this year, the numbers are indeed different from an upperclassmen dominated team to this season’s youth. Here’s a look at the two seasons:

LAST YEAR THIS YEAR

FG: 180-for-392 .459 143-for-362 .395

3-PT: 45-for-132 .341 29-for-125 .232

FT: 70-for-112 .625 62-for-109 .569

CU on Top: The Division I Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings kicked off the 2006-07 season with 20 total points separating the first, second and third place spots. Colorado opens the year on top with 190 total points after capturing the men’s cross country national championship and a runner-up finish in women’s cross country.

Twelve-time defending champion Stanford is currently in second with 180 points, finishing first in women’s cross country and fourth overall in men’s cross country.

Just 10 points behind, with 170 points, is Wisconsin, with a runner-up finish in men’s cross country and a fourth place stop in women’s cross country. The Sports Academy Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. The United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Alabama, is the program’s sponsor. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in up to 20 sports ? 10 women’s and 10 men’s. The next Division I standings will be released Thursday, December 14. Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA’s web site at www.nacda.com.

“YOUNG GUNS” Eight of the team’s 13 players are freshmen and are know as another name of the 2006-07 roster, the ’Young Guns.” If you haven’t already done so, check out the back cover of the 2006-07 media guide, they’re the future of CU Basketball. After six games, Kal Bay and Xavier Silas have made the most of the opportunity in the CU lineup. Bay has started all six games at the point, is tied for the team lead in treys (9), second in assists (20; 3.3 apg.) and is fifth in scoring (6.2 ppg.).

“X” Marks The Spot: Xavier Silas is averaging an impressive 25.8 minutes in a reserve role and averages 8.3 points, fourth overall on the team. He led CU in scoring at New Mexico with 14 points.

20 shots+20 pts.=CU WIN: Twice this season when Richard Roby shoots 20 times in a game, he scores 20 points AND CU wins. Over his career, CU is 5-1 in this trend. Last season, he did it three times, all wins and his freshman season, he did it once and lost (at Texas Tech). Here are Roby’s 20 shots=20 points and the result:

2006-07 (2-0)

vs. Denver: 8-for-21, 20 pts., W, 78-64

at Utah: 8-for-22, 22 pts., W, 60-59

2005-06 (3-0)

vs. St. Mary’s, 10-for-20, 29 pts., W, 73-54

at Missouri, 11-for-24, 33 pts., W, 74-71

at Oklahoma St.,12-for-21, 27 pts.,W, 80-78, ot

2004-05 (0-1)

at Texas Tech, 11-for-20, 29 pts., L, 90-97

WHO IS THAT MASKED MAN? That’s 6’3” freshman guard James Inge, who broke his nose in practice. Inge will get his nose fixed after the season and will wear a protective mask.

INJURY LIst: Freshman center Marc Van Burck is out 3-5 weeks with a right foot stress fracture. He will not redshirt the 2006-07 season. Van Burck (6-11, 280) from Star City, Saskatchewan, Canada/Luther HS, played one game (Denver) with two points, two rebounds in six minutes.

THIS DAY in BUFF MBB HISTORY: CU is 17-6 on this date in history. The last time they played on this date was 1998 defeating Virginia Commonwealth, 78-76. Jaquay Walls led the Buffs with 14 points.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE this year? Sophomore-transfer Jermyl Jackson-Wilson is the closest CU player on the roster after five games to average a double-double. Right now JJW is averaging 10.5 ppg. and 8.5 rpg. Here’s a look at the previous CU players averaging a double. Stephane Pelle is the most recent who performed the feat back in 2001-02.

ANOTHER PRESEASON HONOR: Fifty of the nation’s best men’s college basketball players were named as preseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced. Seven of the athletes recognized were from the Big 12 Conference. The Naismith Trophy is among the most prestigious national awards presented annually to the men’s and women’s players of the year.

The Big 12 athletes recognized are Richard Roby (Colorado), Brandon Rush (Kansas), Julian Wright (Kansas), JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State), Joseph Jones (Texas A&M), Acie Law (Texas A&M) and Jarrius Jackson (Texas Tech). The Top 50 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season and expectations for the 2006-07 season.

3-POINT WOES: After setting the 3-point school record last season with 240, CU is shooting a Big 12 Conference low .232 percent (29-for-125) from the 3-point arc in six games. At this pace averaging five treys a game, the Buffs are on course for 140 3-pointers this year, their lowest since the 1993-94 season when they made 88. In case you were wondering, that team had seven freshmen on it.

vs. Denver 5-for-21 (.238)

at New Mexico 6-for-31 (.194)

vs. Air Force 2-for-17 (.118)

at Utah 8-for-18 (.444)

vs. Wyoming 4-for-19 (.211)

at UNCW 4-for-19 (211)

CHARITY STRIPE: Performance at the free throw line isn’t a CU best either after six games.

Even though they made 15-for-25 (.600) and shot better against Wyoming at home, they still were 2-of-9 in the first half (.222). The Buffaloes are shooting .569 percent for the season. Just like the 3-point arc, the free throw line is a 11-year low as well.

vs. Denver 11-for-21 (.524)

at New Mexico 9-for-14 (.643)

vs. Air Force 8-for-19 (.421)

at Utah 6-for-9 (.667)

vs. Wyoming 15-for-25 (.600)

at UNCW 13-for-21 (.619)

Century Mark Points: Allowing New Mexico to score 100 points on Nov.14, was the first time CU allowed that many in a game since falling to Oklahoma State, Jan. 30, 2004 (L, 86-104). Prior to that it was Jan. 7, 1998 (at Kansas, L, 62-111). Wondering where the 41-point loss at New Mexico ranks? It’s the most since losing by 32 points at Utah (80-48) on Dec. 30, 2004 and by 43 to Texas at the Big 12 Tournament, March 10, 2000 (78-35).

IN case you MISSED iT... Part II: Dominique Coleman scored 19 points against Denver passing his previous career best of 13 against UC Irvine ... Jermyl Jackson-Wilson grabbed 17 boards versus Denver, the most any of CU player in his college debut since transferring from Ohio State; he passed the previous record of 10 by Shaun Vandiver against UC Santa Barbara, Nov. 25, 1988; JJW’s 11 offensive rebounds, ties him for the most offensive rebounds in history with Stephane Pelle who had 11 against Nebraska in 2001 ... The Nov. 10 match up with Denver, was the earliest CU has started the season in its 105-year history.

ROOKIES IN THE STARTNG LINE UP: Kal Bay became only the fifth rookie in Coach Patton’s 11 years to start the first game of the season. The others were guard Alan Barkdale (1996-97), guard/forward Michel Morandais (2000-01), point-guard Antoine McGee (2002-03) and guard Richard Roby (2004-05). Remember, Chauncey Billups started at CU in 1995-96 when Patton was an assistant under Joe Harrington.

FREE THROWS WHEN IT COUNTS: After six games, it’s difficult to see who on the team is cool under pressure from the free throw line. Listed below are last year’s totals with five and two minutes remaining:

This year: 2-5 minutes to play

Jermyl Jackson-Wilson 2-2 1.000

Sean Kowal 2-2 1.000

Chase Perkowski 2-2 1.000

Jeremy Williams 2-2 1.000

Dwight Thorne II 1-2 .500

King-Stockton 0-1 .000

last 2 minutes remaining

Jermyl Jackson-Wilson 1-2 .500

Sean Kowal 1-2 .500

Last Year...With 2-5 minutes to play...

Dominique Coleman 4-6 .667